Window-blind



GARNER WILKINSON, OF VHITE CREEK, NEXV YORK.

WINDOW-BLIND.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 2,414, dated January 8, 1842.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, GARNIER VILKINSON, of the town of lVhite Creek, inthe county of lVashington and State of New York, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in Outside VVindow-Blinds; and I do hereby declarethat the following is a full andV exact description, reference being hadto the annexed drawings, making Va part of this specification, in which-Figure I is -a perspective View of the inside of the blinds, and Fig. IIof the outside.

The blinds consist of slats of discretionary width and thickness, placedhorizontally one above another within a frame provided for the purpose.The frame is represented at A, A, Figs. I and II. In its length andbreadth it is fitted to the frame of the window and is attached on theoutside by any common inode of fastening. The depth of the frame to theblinds, from the outside to the inside, I adapt, as a matter ofjudgment, (and having regard to appearance) to the width of the slats,and the appendages and fixtures with which it is supplied. The slats aremade to be drawn up against the top of the frame, or let down, or fixedat any intermediate elevation, as occasion may require. For this purposetwo rods are extended vertically across the frame and fixed thereto ateach end-passing through perforations made for the purpose in each slat,as shown at b, and in order to allow for the downward inclination whichI give to the slats from the inner to the outer edge, the perforationsare made in the same slanting direction. The slats are raised and letdown by means of a cord passing through perforations of likeconstruction at the center as shown at C. 'To do this I fix a short rodto the lower slat, as seen at el, Fig. I, (and separately in Fig. III,)by means of two or more arms or branches, as at cl Fig. III, which areextended under the slat in directions corresponding to t-he positiongiven to it. From this the rod extends up through the perforations to adistance about equal to the thickness of all the slats of the windowwhen closed together. To the top of this rod the cord is fastened. rIhisserves to preserve the lengthwise lever and crosswise slantof theblinds. The same short rod is also extended below the lower slat and isthere provided with a notch or catch, as shown in Fig. III, so as toenter into a perforation in the frame directly under it, where a springis also provided for it to Vcatch against, by means of which the blinds,on being' let down with sufiicient force become securely fastened. Inorder to unlock them another rod, connected with the spring, is broughtthrough to the inside of the window where a. thumb piece, as at g, isprovided for its regulation in the same manner as in common cases oflike nature. The cord from the upper end of this rod passes over apulley provided for it in the top of the frame, and from that is broughtdirectly forward through the top of the window frame-or carried first ina lateral direction to the side of the frame of the blinds, and fromthence brought through the side of the window frame, or such other placeas shall be preferred for its management-pulleys, in the manner usualfor such purposes, being provided for the easy rendering of the cord ateach turn to which it is subjected. In this way the cords from theblinds of different windows constructed upon these principles, and evenfrom different stories of the same building may be brought together andmanaged as one, or at one place.

The distance between the slats is determined, and their easy andaccurate movement up and down further provided for by means of the chainof links extending from the upper to the lower slat near each end asshown at e, e. rIhese consist of short connecting pieces of uniformlength and sizewith two perforations in each, one near each end, in thedirection of the length of the slats when placed in connection withthem. A pin is also formed of the slat itself, extending in the samedirection, at each end of each slat, as shown at f, f, a little longerthan two thicknesses of these pieces. In addition to this, a rod isprovided, extending in the same horizont-al direction in eachintermediate space between the slats, as shown in Fig. I. IVith theseprovisions I fix one of the ends of one of these connecting links uponthe pin at each end of the lower slat, for instance, and the other endof the saine link upon the end of the rod in the space next above theslat--then upon the same rod I fix the lower end of another lilik andits upper end upon the pin of the next slat above-and so on alternatelyto the top-and thus the chain of links is formed, connected as by pinjoints throughout.

It will be seen by the drawings that the horizontal rods between theslats .are exupon the ends of the slats so as to range iny a line alittle back of the front of these, and of the horizontal rods of courseby which a small jutting forward is given to the joint formed by thelatter favorable to a first bending' of the joints on drawing up theblinds, and the rods are thereby all projected forward alike in thatoperation. The slats therefore are to be fixed in the frame so far backas to prevent the knees of these joints from projecting out beyond theface of the frame.

I make the lower or back edge of the slats straight or scalloped, or ofsuch other form as shall be desired. A section of this edge of eachSlat, as shown in F ig. II, is extended in length so 'as to lap to agreater or less extent upon each side piece of the frame. This serves tosupport the slats and to determine the slant to be given them. I fastenthe frame together with dovetailed joints, with a cap over the top, soas to allow of their being taken apart in order to pack fortransportation.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent isl.The method above described of connecting the slats together by means oflinks and intermediate rods, so as to enable them to approach each otherin drawing them up.

2. And, in combination with the above, I claim the sliding of the blindson rods attached to the frame as above described.

3. And I also claim the method of fastening them by means of the hookattached to thelower slat and to the cord by Which they are drawn up-allas hereinabove described.

Subscribed this 11th day of December,

GARNIER WILKINSON. `Witnessesz JAMES S. MIBIRTS, JAMES LAKE.

